Mail-bag-supporting arm.



J. BIRNIE, JE- MAIL BAG SUPPORTING ARM.

APPLICATION FILED on. 17, 1913.

1 1 1 3,300. Patented Oct. 1 3, 1914.

PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO4.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN BIRNIEJR, or BIRNIE, MANITOBA, CANADIL MAILBAG-SUPPORTING ARM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BIRNIE, Jr., of the town of Birnie, Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mail-Bag-Supporting Arms, ofwhich the. following is a specification.

My invention relatesto improvements in mail bag supporting arms, and the object of my invention is to provide an improved supporting arm carried by a mail car to be used in connection with mail-receiving apparatus mounted on the platform of a station, and to construct this arm so that the mail bags carried thereby while readily removable therefrom, can not be shaken therefrom as the train proceeds.

Another object of my invention is to construct my arm of two members hinged together, so thatthe portion of the arm supporting the mail bags may be readily swung into the car so as to permit the mail bags to be mounted thereon without any danger of accident to the mail clerk. An advantage derived from constructing my arm of two hinged members is to permit the outer member to be swung to the side of the car out of the way when the same is not in use.

I A still further object of my invention is to provide the outer end of my arm with a porting-member E to the base-member C particular construction of keeper.

The supporting arm in question comprises a base-member designed to be secured to the inside of the car and near the opening or door in the side thereof; a supporting-member hinged to said baseqnember and shaped as desired; a spring catch to hold said supporting-member in operative positiomand a spring-held keeper mounted in the outer endv of said supporting-member, as hereinafter more particularly set forth. T

Figure l is a plan view of my mail bag supporting arm, showing the same in various positions, portion of a side of a mail car being shown in section on each side of the door 13 and the inner portion of said arm being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the outer end of said arm, showing in side elevation the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1,

spring-held keeper. This view also shows portion of a mail bag mounted on said arm, and Fig.3 is a perspective view of the inner portions of said arm, showing the hinged connection therefor and the spring catch.

In the drawings, like characters of refer- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 13, 1914, Application filed October 17, 1913. Serial No. 795,719.

cured to the inner side of the side wallA adjacent one side of the opening or door way B. I show nuts and bolts designated by the common letter of reference D as suitable means for securing said base-member in place. 1

E is the supporting-member of my arm which carries the mail bags. The supporting-member E has hinged connection with the base-member C, and when the said supporting member occupies the position illus trated in full lines in Fig. 1, the same is designed to support one or more mail bags. These mail bags are of course each provided with a suitable ring F, and these rings are slid on to the said member E over the outer end thereof and by the spring-held keeper hereinafter described, The bags G of course depend below the member E and when they come in contact with suitable means carried by the platform of a station the result will be the removal of the same from the member E, aswill be understood. Any suitable means for hinging the supmay beprovided so that the member E may be swung into the car as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in order to permit the mail clerk to place the mail bags thereon without danger to himself. This hinged connection will also permit the saidmember E to be' moved againstthe inner sideof the 'car'out of the way when the said 'supporting arm is not in use. A suitable hinge for coupling the members C and E together is illustrated in-l igs. 1 and 3. This hinge comprises a leaf H suitably secured to. the member C and a leaf I suitably secured to the stock J of the member E. These leaves are of course coupled together in the usual way, as illustrated by the pintle 2, which is readily removable.

In order to lock the member E in the any suitable means may be provided. The preferred means comprises a spring catch 3 secured by' any suitable means such as screws 4 to the stock J. The head 5 of said spring catch 3 rests in a pocket 6 formed in the inner side of the base-member C near the inner end thereof, when the parts occupy the position illustrated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, and engages with the shoulder 7 carried by said base-member C, thus looking the supporting member E in the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1.

Any suitable means may be used. to move the head 5 of the spring catch 3 out of engagement with the shoulder 7. A suitable means for this purpose comprises an arm 8 mounted to move in the head '5. ing against the head 9 of this arm 8, the said head 5 will be readily'disengaged from the shoulder 7, thus permitting the member E to be swung into the dotted position shown.

To allow for the unobstructed movement of the head 5, the inner side of the wall A is recessed as shown at 10- to provide a pocket or chamber.

The supporting-member E is provided at its inner end with an off-set portion 11 which is integrally formed therewith and with the stock J} This-offset portion 11 permits the supporting-member E to be positioned well away from the outer side of the mail car so as to support the mail bags in the most advantageous position in respect of the means used to remove said bags.

The outer end of the supporting-member E is provided with a vertical slot 12 extending longitudinally thereof. Mounted in said slot is a keeper 13 through the inner end of which passes a pin 14 secured in said supporting-member. 15 is a lip to which is secured a leaf-spring 16, the function of which is to bear against the said keeper 13 and support it in the position illustrated particularly in Fig. 2, so that the nose 17 of said keeper will project well above the said supporting-member. 18 is a stop-pin carried by the member E to limit the upward movement of the keeper 13. The supporting-member E is free of all obstructions so By pressas to permit the rings F of the mail bags to readily slide thereon. The upper side of said keeper 13 is preferably conca-ved as illustrated at 19, so that when a ring F comes in .contact with said keeper the said keeper will be readily depressed to permit .the ring and its burden to pass thereby. The said keeper or its equivalent prevents currents of air or the jarring of the car from dislodging the mail bags.

Various changes may bemade in details of construction dilferentto the construction illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

As a new article of manufacture, a mailbag supporting arm comprising a base mem- 1 her provided in its inner flat side near one corner, with a pocket, which forms a corner gs'houlder; a supporting member provided 1 with a stock which is connected thereto by i an offset portion so that when the said arm lis in position for use, the said supporting member will be positioned well away .from L the outer side of the car; a spring catch secured to the inner side of said stock and eX- itending longitudinally thereof and pro ivided with a head which normally rests in :the said pocket and in looking engagement Zwith said shoulder; hinging means positioned between the attached end of said catch and the head thereof whereby said stock is hinged to said base member, an arm hinged to said head and projecting thereabove and above said base member so that said head maybe moved out of said pocket and so disengaged with said shoulder to permit said supporting arm to be swung on said hinging means.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. j

' JOHN BIRNIE, JR. Witnesses:

A. E. SERvAN'rii, G. C. MONTGOMERY.

Copies of this patent, may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

